Take-up block for wire drawing



Aug. l1, 1953 D. REvAK ETA. 2,648,503

TAKE-UP BLOCK FOR WIRE DRAWING Filed April 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l fQ/V/a @f1/m( and @mie/0( MAJ/ma,

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Aug. l1, 1953 D. REvAK ETA.

TAKE-UP BLOCK FOR WIRE DRAWING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17. 1951 Patented Aug. 11, 1953 TAKE -UP BLOCK FOR WIRE DRAWING Daniel Revak, Donora, and Frederick W. Riedel, Belle Vernon, Pa., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 17, 1951, Serial No. 221,488

2 Claims. (Cl. 242-72) This invention relates to a take-up block for drawing wire through processing apparatus and winding it in coils and, in particular, to a block having a collapsible core r barrel.

It is the object of our invention to improve on the block disclosed in Proctor Patent No. 2,529,185 and particularly to produce a block of simplified construction specially adapted for forming the smaller sizes of wire coils.

In a preferred embodiment of our invention, we provide a mandrel having' spaced side plates, one fixed thereon and one removable therefrom. The mandrel is mounted on the end of a drive shaft. A plurality of separate segments extend between the side plates forming a cylindrical core for a coil wound between the plates. The segments have internal frusto-conical surfaces at their ends adapted to engage similar surfaces on the side plates, whereby limited radial movement may be imparted to the segments to contract or expand the coil core formed thereby. The end of the mandrel is threaded to receive a nut which presses the removable side plate toward the fixed side plate and thereby forces the segments outwardly. The segments are loosely held on the mandrel by a retainer ring secured thereto and are keyed to the mandrel to insure rotary movement therewith.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is an end elevation;

Figure 3 is an axial section showing parts in elevation;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections taken along the planes of lines IV--IV, V-V, and 'VI-VI, respectively, of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 is a partial longitudinal section through one of the segments.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the block of our invention, indicated generally at Ill, comprises a mandrel II, including a hollow hub IIa and a tubular spindle IIb. The latter is adapted to receive the free or overhangingend of a shaft I2. The shaft is journaled in suitable supporting bearings (not shown) and driven by any convenient source of power. The hub Ila of the mandrel has bearing bushings I3 pressed thereinto whereby the mandrel, is journaled on the shaft and may be held stationary while the shaft continues to rotate.

A friction clutch I2a is carried on shaft I2, adapted to cooperate with the interior surface of the hub IIa for driving the mandrel when desired. The mandrel is held on shaft I2 by a thrust collar I4 tting in a recess I5 in the outer or free end of the spindle I Ib and secured to the shaft by a set screw. Access to the screw is afforded by a radial hole drilled through the spindle wall. The outer end of the spindle is threaded for a short distance inwardly of the recess I5.

Hub I la of the mandrel is turned down to form a step I I c adjacent the spindle, leaving a shoulder I The edge of the step, furthermore, is beveled as at Il'. Hub Ila has inclined slots I8 milled therein at intervals around the circumference. Quadrant plates I9 are welded to shoulder I6 so that radial spaces or slots 20 are left between adjacent plates in alinement with slots I 8. vStiiiening ribs 2| spaced circumferentially of the hub are welded thereto and to the quadrant plates. The inner edges of the quadrant plates overhang the beveled edge II of the step IIc and form therewith a circumferential groove, the inner wall of which is the edge I'I. The quadrant plates I9 together form an inner side plate for the block which confines successive layers of turns of the coil wound thereon, and will hereafter be referred to as such. The side plate I3 is rigid with the mandrel and turns or stands still with it.

An outer side plate 22 having a central bore is removably disposed on the free end of the spindle, being held thereon by a nut 23 screwed on the threaded end of the latter. The nut has circumferentially spaced radial holes 24 to accommodate a Spanner. The side plate 22 has radial slots 25 at 90 intervals. A key 26 in a keyway on the tubular portion IIb of the mandrel c0- operates with keyways in the central bore of side plate 22 and insures that the latter, when placed on the spindle, will have its radial slots 25 in alinement with the spaces or slots 20 of side plate I9. The inner face of side plate 22 has a circumferential groove 21, the inner wall of which is frusto-conical. A plurality of cylindrical segments 28 extend between the side plates I9 and 22 and form a core or `barrel upon which a coil may be wound. The segments have ends of frustoconical shape on the interior, adapted to engage beveled edge Il and the inner wall of groove 21. The effect of this cooperation, of course, is to cause outward radial movement of the segments as side plate 22 is moved toward side plate I9. Conversely, when side plate 22 is removed, the segments 28 are permitted to collapse, thereby facilitating the removal of a coil of wire wound thereon.

The segments 28 are keyed individually to the Si tubular portion IIb of the mandrel as at 29. This insures rotary movement of the segments with the mandrel. The outer surfaces of the segments have longitudinal slots 30 therein in alinement with slots I8, 20 and 25. Nut 23 has circumferentially spaced recesses 3| which aline with these slots when the nut is turned home tightly. The slots and the recesses permit wire ties to be placed around a coil wound on the segments, at 90 intervals, before the coil is removed from the block. The segments 28 have arcuate slots 32 around the interior thereof opening toward one end. A ring 33V fitted on the spindle IIb and secured to it by set screws, has an overhanging flange or lip34- at its inner side which enters the slots 32m the segments 28 and loosely connes the latter in position about the mandrel. There is sufficient play, how-- ever, between the lip and the Walls of the slots to permit the limited radial and longitudinal movement of the segments incident to the out- Ward movement and collapse thereof described above. The outer ends of the segments have circumferentially spaced radial slots 28a therein.

The operation of our block will doubtless be readily apparent from the foregoing but will be reviewed briefly. It will be assumed that the shaft I2 is being driven, that the clutch for driving the block is disengaged so that the block is stationary, and that nut 23 and outer side Yplate 22 are disposed on the mandrel with the nut turned home tightly. The end of a length of wire being processed as by being drawn through apreducing die is attached to one of the `segments 28 by inserting its end through one of the slots 28a and bending it over. The clutch is'then operated to cause the block to be driven whereupon it winds up the wire on segments 28 in successive layers extending between the `side plates. The segments 23, of course, when in their outermost positions, form substantially a complete cylinder serving as a core for the coil.

`When the coil has been wound to the desired size, the driving clutch is disengaged to stop the block. Tie wires are then placed around'the coil by inserting them through slots I8, 20, 30, 25 and 3I, aftervwhich nut 23 and outer side plate 22 are removed. This permits 'collapse of the segments, facilitating removal of the coil from 'the block. When the completed coil has been removed, replacement of the side plate 22 and nut 23 elect outward radial movement of the segments as the nut is turned home tightly and the block is then ready forwinding the next coil.

The block of our invention has the advantage of simplicity of construction and ease of operation. It is particularly adapted, furthermore, for small sizes, i. e., such as to accommodate wire coils less than one foot in diameter. In addition, the construction requires little or no maintenance since the moving parts are few and their movement quite limited. l

Although we have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of our invention, we intend to cover as Well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. YA take-up block comprising a mandrel adapted `to .be journaled on the end of a drive shaft with one end free to permit removal of a .coil wound thereon, a hub at the other end of the mandrel, a side plate rigid with said hub, a second side plate removably disposed on the mandrel adjacent the free end thereof, circumferential grooves in the inner faces of said plates, each groove being defined by a cylindrical outer surface and a frusto-conical inner surface intersecting the cylindrical surface, a plurality of separate segments spaced circumferentially about the mandrel extending between the side plates and having ends of frusto-conical shape on the interior extending into said grooves and engaging f said inner surfaces, each of'said segments Ihaving a tongue extending axially on the interior thereof toward one end of the segments, a retainer ring fitted on the mandrel adjacent said one end of the segments, said ring surrounding said tongues and loosely confining the segments, and means for drawing said second side plate toward the first-mentioned side plate to cause outward radial movement of said segments.

2. A take-up block as defined by claim l characterized by said tongues being formed by arcuate slots on the interior of said segments adjacent to and opening toward one end thereof, said ring having a cylindrical flange fitting loosely in said slots.

DANIEL REVAK.

Proctor Nov. 7, 1950 

